Use of carprofen for the treatment of pain and inflammation in dogs
Fox, S.M.; Johnston, S.A.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 210(10): 1493-1498
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-1488 PMID: 9154204 Document Number: 479156
Most studies of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) do not demonstrate appreciable differences in efficacy. As awareness of the adverse effects associated with NSAID use increases, safety is becoming the primary concern among physicians when selecting NSAID for use by their human patients. However, veterinarians may be less aware of the safety concerns associated with NSAID use. A wide range of NSAID is used to treat human beings with osteoarthritis; however, it is imperative to remember that dogs are especially sensitive to these drugs, and reports of serious, and occasionally fatal, complications are numerous. Carprofen is a propionic acid-derived NSAID that has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activity. In animals, carprofen is as potent as indomethacin and more potent than aspirin or phenylbutazone, but carprofen appears to be safer than most other NSAID.